Monday, 18 April 2011

Zeke Pike announcing on Wednesday

Well that's a bit of a surprise. A lot of prospects seem to be accelerating their recruiting timetables.

Pike is the one of the top QB's in the nation and has offers from practically everywhere, but Michigan really impressed him a few weeks back on his visit. In fact after that visit I would say UM was definitely his #1 school.

However since then Zeke has basically been on a tour of the SEC, looking at LSU, Arkansas, Tennessee, Georgia and Auburn; plus Clemson from the ACC. So its quite possible that one of these schools has leapfrogged into the lead.

In fact, some guy on Twitter (MilesFomby) just said Auburn has landed a big time silent commitment; so he's probably talking about Pike. I hate Auburn.

I know he really enjoyed his visit to Arkansas, so with this Auburn tweet, its probably safe to say that Michigan isn't the choice. Shame

And if the top three really is Michigan, Purdue, and Auburn, TomVH just said that Zeke said not to read too much into the rumors of him being committed to Auburn. So that would mean it is down to just Michigan and Purdue. I would find it hard to believe that Purdue will beat Michigan in a recruiting battle as significant especially after we stole Russel Bellomy and Roy Roundtree from them. However with Hope on the hotseat he is probably giving Pike all hes got.

I agree about playing time at Purdue as he would start there immediately, but at Arkansas, isn't Tyler Wilson a redshirt sophomore which has the same amount of eligibility left as Gardner assuming he doesn't get a redshirt.

I'll be amazed if he picks Michigan, but we have Gardner which should redshirt and he looked good in the spring game, so I wouldn't mind waitin till next year to pick up a 5* QB. As much as I hate auburn I'm leaning towards them getting pike.

If Pike choice another school that will be his lose. It he comes to michigan that would be great too. However I don't think Michigan needs needs a QB for at least 2 years am I wrong on that? When Michigan wins 8 to 9 games this year recruits will be lining up to come to Michigan.

Jer, Michigan needs to take a QB this year, even if it is just for depth. Programs like to have at least four scholarship QBs on campus every year. Three is not really enough, especially when one is a true freshman who they want to redshirt.

Michigan will take a QB this year, and every year. Next year it should be Shane Morris.

Benji your right on them taking a QB this year I am just saying they don't need to put all there eggs in Pikes basket. May we get a 3 or 4 star qb and not a 5 star this year and year get the 5 star guy.

Benji I am new to the recruiting world I am sure you guessed that already. So I have a question if a kid commits to school do other schools have stop recruiting them? And do you think Kellen Jones could move to D end?

What star do you predict Shane Morris will be, I haven't heard much about him. Also, a lot of people are mentioning Keith Marshall, is he at all a realistic option at this point? Will he even visit Michigan?

Well the D-Hart situation was different because RR was losing his job. So a lot of our kids were being recruited. Once a kid commits, the recruiting certainly dies down a lot, but a guy like Zeke Pike will still get the odd phone call from Michigan and others.

Kellen Jones was obviously recruited as a LB, but it all depends on his growth.

We need a pro style qb and pike knows that and he has said he could be the one to complete the transformation to pro style. Who knows though really. But if he downs commit he could bring the #1 wr recruit with him how awesome would that be. GO BLUE!!!!!!

Perhaps Pike watched some of the spring game and saw the performance of our two quarterbacks. That sight alone would make him want to hop on board if for no other reason than he would think that he could beat them out for the starting spot.

You know damn well though that him sitting is just giving him more press. Hes going to be on espn as they question him about it. And every one of those 5 games the camera will be on the sidelines watching him a lot. Also the game he does return will have a lot more hype and coverage.

The poster child needs to be a sec team because thats the confrene CBS covers. Because it does not matter what 2 teams are playing CBS still can't stop talking about them evan when they move on to the NFL.

Never can have too much talent, especially at a position like QB, take Pike's commitment and run. He would be a huge get, arguably the best QB in this class. More importantly, he'll attract other players, especially with an early verbal.

This could shape up as a great class if we can bring in Jenkins-Stone, Ross, Day, O'Brien, Wormley, Diamond, Pike, Thompson. Add another solid OL (ex. Banner, Simmons, Dodson), skill position player (ex. Diggs, Garmon), DE (Strobel, Brown, Pittman), defensive back (ex. Richardson, Reeves, Morgan) and you're probably looking at a top-10 class once it's all settled.

My former high school played O'Brian and we never had any stellar O-linemen and he never really hurt us. I feel like he would be a nice get, but there are many better than him. And with Quinton Washington growing into quite a DT, as well as Richard Ash, O'Brian isn't necessary but I do want Sheldon Day.

Guys dont worry,Zeke will pick Michigan. Zeke is a smart kid.He has stated he likes UM a lot,he knows the NCAA cloud hanging over AU,and he knows they have a 5* and 4* qb with 3 and 4 years left there. He will pick Michigan.

People are saying that scout only posted the story of Zeke making his commitment wednesday on Auburns page, but it is also on Michigan's it is just covered up by the JJ Denman, Jordan Diamond, and other more recent posts.

It is auburn for zeke. Did a little facebook digging and his gf has her profile pic as her and zeke, who is in auburn gear. Then the next picture is them standing in front of a "War Eagle" sign. That doesnt look good for michigan

I like our chances with Day. If we don't land O'Brien, I'm pretty confident we'll get one of Ondre Pipkins or Jaleel Johnson. We may still have a shot with the likes of Schutt, Valentine and Shittu as well once official visits begin.

I think we'll have a nice infusion of talent at TE, LB, OL and DL in this class. I'd like to hope we can bring in one good skill position player (whether RB or WR), one good defensive back and one good QB. That would make for a good one, potentially top 10 or close to it.

@GitRdone.... I completely agree that Pike is overrated. I've been thinking to myself all along, how in the world this kid can be one of the highest ranked qb's in the nation. As I've mentioned before, I'm from the Cincy area. I watch a lot of High School football, and I actually seen this kid play last year. I wasn't impressed whatsoever. He has great size, but his decision making mechanics leave a lot to be desired. I think it will be a GOOD thing if he signs with Fraudburn.

@Jer89 I wonder why as well but I still think USC is getting top talent. Auburn will not be effected until the hammer gets dropped, or it may never be dropped at all. Pike or no Pike.... I feel like we have plenty of recruiting momentum going into the summer.

The only violation USC is dealing with is a bowl games they have not lost there scholarships til USC finishes it appeal.Right now USc is loading up on kids so when they lose the scholarships they still have players.they are going to have 10 to 15 scholarships a year when its said and done. I think Michigan needs to take a good look at Bran Blackburn.

Jer89 I agree, Brian Blackburn is a solid prospect, the only thing with Zeke Pike is that he seems to have connections with many great reruits ex. Dorial Green-Beckham and Keith Marshall, and would bring lots of talent with him.

I am not saying they should stop recruiting players like Pike, Keil and Conney, I am just saying they need a back up plan just in case. I know Pike would bring some other talent with him thats why I can't wait to hear his anouncement.I would love it if he came to Michigan and if anybody here anything please let us know.

There are other QBs being recruited by Michigan. Maty Mauk, according to Scout and Rivals, has a Michigan offer -- and he is talented. Yes, he has ties to Kelly at ND, but he would work well in the half-pro/half option read offense that we will have under Gardner and Robinson. I'll continue my bias to have him since I played in the same conference he did. He's in an offense that is QB-heavy, but it takes talent to put up his kind of numbers. His release is very fast, though a bit awkward.

I know the coaches are too in love with Robinson's speed, but I still believe Gardner is the best QB we have, and that Robinson's arm will doom the team to lose a game or two or three. Gardner will at least split time this season because of Robinson's "accuracy" against real defenses.

In other words, Robinson is more Charlie Ward than Michael Vick. Unless he drastically improves his accuracy he's going to flame out as a thrower very quickly. He may have a great work ethic and smile, but that doesn't mean he's going to be a better QB. I think he'd win the Heisman as a running back, that all said.

Gardner threw two awful picks against the second string defense? Dont see how you can say he is better? Robinson is a rare player to come around and regardless of who are qb is we are gonna lose two or three games. And sorry but thats crazy to think he'd win Heisman as a running back. He weighs 190 lbs after a big dinner. HE is way to small and would never cut it as a Michigan Running back

I wouldn't be surprised if Hoke and Mattison turn more than one 5 star recruit this class. I especially wouldn't be surprised if Pike came and tutored under Al Borges. If he wants to go pro someday then Michigan is primed to help make that happen, doubtless Auburn has tried to make a serious financial investment in him but a photo with a hat on him by no means locks him in there.

Why is anybody trying to rate the offense from the Spring Game at all? That was a practice, not an exhibition. We got to see the offense working on the things they suck at, not showing off how well Drob can still run. In September they will look almost nothing like they did during a spring scrimmage.

I agree with Michael. But overall i just dont see Drob can fit in the pro-style offense.. He cannot make accu passes one after another cause of his size. Therefore he has to come out the pocket to either run or throw... It's gonna be a tough situation of Hoke deciding how the QB plays out...

I agree with bboy. Don't these qb recruits look at past qb from michigan that have gone pro and done really well . Just to a few brady,grbac, henne ,harbough. We produce NFL quarterbacks the recruits need to be reminded of that. GO BLUE!!

I know that my personal eval on Robinson comes from watching him for two years stink it up as a QB outside of against inferior competition.

I find it funny that "he can't make it as a RB" because that's exactly what he is. Most of his big runs came on designed runs, not on his scrambling abilities to escape pressure. He ran the ball more times than most running backs do, so saying he can't be a RB is ridiculous to the extreme. He's 6 foot nothing, and weights around 185. He's a little taller than a Kendall Hunter, and loads taller than Oregon's tiny little running back. You know, that one Heisman runner-up, LaMichael James.

Honestly, a good offense is not predicated on its running backs being six-foot, 215. It's predicated on a runner's ability to hit the hole and avoid the defense. If you don't think Robinson has the agility to make up for power, then you're pretty narrow in what you think makes any player at any position.

In the past few weeks people have been trying to convince themselves that if Drew Brees can do it, so can "special" Denard Robinson. He is a special player, just not a special QB -- in my opinion. (Tangent: somehow the stereotypes that go along with being a QB -- tall and heavy with good decision making ability can go away with Robinson, but the stereotypes on a RB can't?) Brees has always been a passer in a passing system, from Purdue to San Diego to NO. His height wasn't an issue because his passing skills never were questioned when he was at Purdon't. However, Robinson's passing skills have been questionable since his first pass as a Wolverine -- and even in preseason before his first year.

I love Michigan, have my entire cognizant-of-football life. I've visited the locker rooms. I've been to Shembechler Hall and touched the glass between Woodson's Heisman and my fingers! Robinson has that type of athletic ability, but he has not shown in two years to be a solid decision maker against real defenses. His accuracy comes and goes, and more goes against the Iowa's and Ohio State's of the world.

He's not the kind of god some fans make him out to be. That said, I hope he is better than I expect him to be.

As for Mauk, I may have WBL blinders, but he's a kid being recruited as a 4-star QB by a plethora of BCS schools -- including Michigan. You don't throw for over 150 touchdowns in three years and not have talent. I guess all of those 150 plus TDs are garbage? And besides, the original question was about back-up plans. He's a pretty solid back-up plan, if he should be considered such. No one knows whether Pike or Kiel or any of these 5-stars will actually pan out anyways. Mitch Mustain? Brantley down at Florida? JaMarcus Russell?

Mauk is in a pass heavy offense he throws it like 30-40 times a game of course his stats will be elevated..He may be good but hes not coming to Michigan he wants to play in a spread offense he has said that on numerous occasions in all likely hood he end up at Notre Dame..

@ Professor A: Denard would never last as a running back. Couldnt even last as a QB most of the time. Theres a huge difference between a qb design run and a running back designed run. He also threw for a thousand less yards last year in about 150 less attempts than Ryan Mallet who was tops in the Nation and had about the same rating and completion percentage. He can pass the ball and will have a greater advantage knowing the defense must pay close attention to the run. Denard will have another great year under a new system. He is a quarterback, and thats why he came to Michigan for this chance. Gardner wont start at all until injury or Denard is gone. Go Blue! And Ive also had the grand tour and it is unlike any other!